By JUNJI MURAKAMI/ Staff Writer
December 6, 2022 at 07:00 JST
The waters off Yokohama Port, where man fell in, on Nov. 10 (Junji Murakami)
YOKOHAMA--A man’s calm demeanor after falling into the sea off Yokohama Port is likely the main reason he survived after drifting for four hours in the water, officials said.
The 40-year-old office worker was strolling in the Yamashita Park area to take photos of the gigantic “Moving Gundam” model at Yamashita Wharf around 2 a.m. on Oct. 11, Yokohama Harbor Police Station officials said.
After nearly dropping his smartphone into the sea, he himself fell into the water. He floundered around but could not reach shore, and he thought he would drown, the officials said.
He let go of his smartphone and his bag, removed his shoes, floated on his back like a sea otter, and waited for a rescuer.
“Perhaps I am going to die like this,” he thought at the time, the officials said.
About four hours later, a small boat of anglers after Japanese sea bass passed near the man about 1 kilometer off the Yokohama Osanbashi pier.
Juki Kurokawa, a 26-year-old fishing guide on the boat, saw somebody floating belly up and yelling, “Help me!” about 10 meters away in the rough sea.
After throwing a floating ring toward the man, Kurokawa and his two customers pulled the rope and the man into the boat.
He was barefoot, pale and only said he felt “cold.”
When massaged on the back, he disgorged frothy salt water and began gasping for breath.
He was immediately taken by ambulance to a hospital. He was later discharged and recuperated at his home from hypothermia.
He said he hoped to visit his rescuers to offer his thanks, the officials said.
The Yokohama Harbor Police Station on Nov. 10 officially commended Kurokawa and his customers: Junji Yamamoto, 47, and Nobuhide Ikegami, 35.
Officials with the Yokohama-based Third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters said that when you are adrift at sea, the essential thing to do is to stay comfortably afloat. You should spread out your arms and legs and take a big breath to store up air in your lungs.
Hold any floating object close to your chest if you have one, the officials added.
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